Improvement in railroad-switches



F. LUCHINI.

.RAIL ROAD SWITCH.

No.183,859. Patented 0011.31.1876.

. d wmnz F V 1 ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDLNANDO LUOHINI, OF NATOHITOOHES, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,859, dated October31,1876; application filed October 7, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINANDO LUCHINI, of Natchitoches, in the parishof Natchitoches and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Railroad-Switches, of which the following is aspecification:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved switch. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionof the same, taken through the line 00 m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The present invention relates to that class of railroad-switches inwhich the switch rail is operated by devices located upon the car; andit has for its object to simplify the construction of a switch operatingin such manner, and to render it less liable to get out of order.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts,which will be hereinafter more fully described and then set forth in theclaim.

A represents the rails of the main track, and Brepresents the rails ofthe branch track. 0 is the movable or switch rail, which is pivoted atone end at the end of the rail B of the branch track, and its other endrests against the side of the rail A of the main track. To theswitch-rail O is attached a sliding block or plate, D, to which is. alsoattached the upper end of a bar, E. The bar E projects downward into abox or cavity beneath. the road-bed, and its lower end is rigidlyattached to a bar or plate, F, which is pivoted at its ends to hangersGprojectihg downward from the road-bed.

Upon the bar or plate F, near its edge, rests the lower edge of a plateor frame, H, which passes up through a slot in the roadbed, so that itsupper edge may project. To the edge of the bar or plate F are attachedthe ends of springs I, the upper ends of which are attached to somesupport connected with the road-bed. The springs I hold the plate orframe H up, and hold the free end of the switch-rail G pressed againstthe side of the rail A of the main track.

J is a wheel, which is pivoted to a standard, K. The standard K isdesigned to be connected with the platform of the carone at each end ofsaid car-in such a way that it may be pressed down by the driver withhis foot at the proper time to bring the wheel J in contact with theedge of the plate or frame H, and withdraw the switch-rail G from themain rail A. This is only necessary when the car is to continue upon themain track and is moving in the direction indicated by arrow 1.

When the car is upon the main track and is going in the oppositedirection, the flange of the car-wheels will push back the switchrail.When the car is passing from the main track to the side track or fromthe side track to the main track, no movement of the switchrail isrequired.

L are guard-bars placed at the sides of the upper edge of the plate orframe H, to keep the wheel J in place upon it, and to protect it fromthe wheels of vehicles crossing the track. The plate or frame H must beof such a length that the wheel J will hold it down and hold theswitch-rail O away from the rail of the main track until the rear wheelof the car has passed the end of the said switch-rail G.

I am aware of the existence of a railroadswitch in which the switch-railis operated through the medium of a pivoted lever, which is arranged ina slotted rail placed between the track-rails and connected with theswitchrails, by means of a chain carrying a weight.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent The combination of the vertically-movable bar H,guard-rails L, pivoted lever F, springs I, arm E, and sliding plate D,with the switchrail 0, and an attachment on the car for depressing thebar H, all constructed and relatively arranged as herein set forth.

FERDINANDO LUCHINI.

Witnesses:

J AMES T. GRAHAM, G. SEDwIoK.

